The department of Emergency Medicine at Cook County Hospital is pleased to offer a 12-month postgraduate Physician Assistant Residency Program. This program is one of the few Emergency Medicine PA residencies offered in the Midwest. As a PA resident, you will have the opportunity to specialize in the field of Emergency Medicine while working with physician residents and seasoned clinicians at one of the top medical centers in the country.

Clinical Experience

The Cook County Hospital EM-PA residency curriculum is modeled after the physician residency curriculum. As a PA resident, you will rotate through core clinical specialties that will help prepare you to manage the most critical and complicated patients. These rotations will include clinical rotations in trauma, pediatric EM, orthopedics, and toxicology. Additionally, you will be able to tailor your educational experience towards your own interests by choosing elective rotations in your area of interest.

Approximately two-thirds of the rotations are devoted to Emergency Medicine and Pediatric Emergency Medicine, providing you with the extensive experience necessary for successful placement after graduation. You will begin your residency experience in an Introductory Emergency Medicine month that will help you transition into the department, connect you with fellow PA residents and physician residents, equip you with essential knowledge and skills to begin working in the Emergency Department.

Clinical Block Schedule

4 weeks

Orientation

20 weeks

Cook County Emergency Medicine

4 weeks

Trauma

4 weeks

Emergency Orthopedics

4 weeks

Toxicology

4 weeks

Pediatric Emergency Medicine

8 weeks

Electives*

4 weeks

Vacation

Didactic Experience

Didactic conferences are held each Wednesday for five hours with the Emergency Medicine PA residents and physician residents. The two groups work together clinically, and also participate in clinical education activities together, including the simulation lab. All residents are released from clinical duties and allowed this time for their education. Conferences are focused around monthly topics presented by emergency medicine staff, other Cook County Hospital Health Care specialists and visiting faculty. Interactive learning between residents and faculty is a key component to the conference experience. Case-based presentations, simulation lab, small groups, journal club, procedural workshops, and code simulations are examples of learning opportunities that will help engage PA residents in preparation for actual clinical situations in the emergency department.

Application Process

Those physician assistants who have graduated from an NCCPA accredited program are invited to apply for admission to the JH Stroger PA Postgraduate Residency Program.

The PA Residency is a 12-month postgraduate certificate program for NCCPA eligible and Certified Physician Assistants. The residency will begin July 1st. All applicants must be available to start institutional orientation the last week of June. Applications will be accepted in March on the institutional website (www.cookcountyhhs.org). Interviews will be held in April (date TBD). For more information about the application process, submit a CV to Mishelle Taylor (mtaylor@cookcountyhhs.org). Information that will be required in the application include:

A one page letter of introduction containing a biography and a statement that describes your reason to pursue residency training as a physician assistant in Emergency Medicine.

Current Curriculum Vitae

Official copies of all undergraduate and PA program transcripts forwarded directly from the institution

Three current professional letters of recommendation – one from your PA Program Director or Program Faculty. These letters should be mailed directly to the Admissions Committee

Official copy of NCCPA scores (if certified). Your scores should be sent directly from NCCPA

After all of your information has been received and the application file is complete, your candidacy will be reviewed by our Admissions Committee and selections will be made for a formal interview. If you have any questions regarding the program and/or the admissions process, please feel free to contact Dr. Scott Sherman from the Department of Emergency Medicine at 312-864-0199 or ssherman@cookcountyhhs.org